When it comes to Walt Disney World, they have the act of getting guests from one point to another down to a science. Whether it’s getting from the airport to your on-property hotel or getting from your hotel to the theme parks, water parks or other attractions, it is possible to do it all without having to rent a car. This post is part one in our two-part series on Walt Disney World transportation (which is part of our overall series on Walt Disney World for Disneylanders). Our next post in this series will cover getting from your on-property hotels to the theme and water parks.

Transportation from the airport to on-property hotel resorts

If you have every flown in to LAX or John Wayne airport to go to the Disneyland, you know very well that there isn’t one great way to get to the Disneyland Resort from either airport. Disney doesn’t offer an official service and there a variety of options ranging from shuttles to buses to rental cars. Many families spend a lot of time stressing out on how they will get from the airport to the resort.

When traveling to Walt Disney World, however, this is definitely not the case. If you will be flying in to MCO (Orlando International Airport), Disney provides a free service to guests staying on-property called Disney’s Magical Express. This bus services runs around the clock and takes guests directly from the airport to their hotel. All you have to do is go toward the Disney’s Magical Express section of the airport (it isn’t difficult to find and everyone who works there knows exactly where it is) and you will be whisked off to your hotel. Here are a couple of things you need to know about Disney’s Magical Express:

You need to arrange for it ahead of time. If you book through a (good) Disney-authorized travel agency, they should arrange for this for you. If you book through a large company like Costco or AAA, they likely will not arrange this for you. You will need to contact Disney on your own.

Magical Express is ONLY for guests staying on-property at Walt Disney World. If you will be staying at a hotel off-property, you will need to contact your hotel to make your travel arrangements.

Let’s say there are five people in your family and have booked a room that only accommodates four people as you are going to squeeze your three small children (over the age of three) into the room (one bed) so that you don’t have to book (and pay for) a larger room. If you do that, that one child you don’t tell the hotel about will NOT have a Magical Express ticket. You have to be honest about the people in your room in order to get those Magical Express tickets to and from the airport.

The best part of Magical Express is how you can have your checked luggage “magically” appear at your room upon arrival at the Resort. Here’s how it works:

When you receive your Magical Express tickets in the mail, you will also receive special luggage tag stickers. Simply apply the tags to the luggage you will be checking in with the airline as recommended, and your luggage will magically appear in your room two to three hours after you arrive in Orlando. That means you don’t have to worry about getting your luggage once you get off the plane in Orlando; you simply get on the Magical Express bus and you are on your way to your hotel. (You will still have your carry-on luggage, which should contain the most important things your family will need upon arrival like medications, Magic Bands, etc.) If you will be arriving in Orlando after 10p.m., you may want to skip having Disney transport your luggage so that your bags are not arriving late at night once you are asleep.

Image courtesy of Guru Travel.

When it is time to go home, your hotel will provide you with information on when you need to be ready to be picked up for your bus trip back to the airport and any other important information. Disney partners with a variety of popular airlines so that you can check your luggage AT YOUR HOTEL and not have to waste time doing so at the airport. They also provide a scale at the baggage check area at each hotel so that you can make sure your suitcase isn’t too heavy with all of the souvenirs you’ve purchased. (The scale is available to you even if Disney does not partner with your airline.)

Bell Services will hold on to any bags and such so that you can enjoy the parks and resorts until it is time for you to board your Magical Express bus back to the airport.

Car rentals and taxis

There are some people who prefer to rent a car at the airport so that they have their own transportation to and from the airport and while at Walt Disney World. Having your own car means you are not reliant on Walt Disney World buses and that you can leave Walt Disney World to visit some of Florida’s other wonderful attractions.

During one of our family trips, my parents had their own car. It was really nice to have because one night we were easily able to leave one of the miniature golf courses and then drive over to Epcot without having to deal with the bus system–which can often take a long time when going from one place to another. That being said, my dad found it difficult to navigate the large amount of roads in Walt Disney World while driving here and there (remember: it’s as big as a city) and his car’s navigation system was of very little help.

Unlike Disneyland, parking is included if you are an on-property guest, so if you have your own car, you can park anywhere you like for free (for the most part).

Taxis are available and can be ordered to the resort as well. I have never used one and can only image a taxi trip from Walt Disney World to somewhere like Universal would be pretty expensive.

(The Mickey image featured in this post is courtesy of Walt Disney World Media Relations.)

I have a new Disneyland Park recipe to share with you today- it’s been a while! I was out of my recipe sheets from City Hall at Disneyland and then contributor Vy sent me a magical surprise in the mail – the cookbook “Kitchen Magic with Mickey: Favorite Recipes from the Disney Parks and Cruise Ships”! I flipped through it to find all of the Disneyland Resort recipes first and found the perfect one to start off with – from the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue at Disneyland Park, I give you the S’mores Bake!

Put marshmallows on top of brownies. Place marshmallow-topped brownies under broiler 1 1/2-2 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown, leaving oven door ajar and watching very closely to avoid burning.

Drizzle hot fudge sauce over top of toasted marshmallows.

Take half of the graham crackers and break them into planks; crush other half of graham crackers into crumbs.

Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over top of toasted marshmallows, and place graham crackers planks randomly into toasted marshmallows.

Serve immediately.

Baking Notes:

I decided to not follow the directions a couple of times. I basically skipped the whole first direction and just made the brownies per the directions on teh box, and also I followed the cookbook picture instead of the directions and use an oval baking dish, so I think my brownies may not have been completely done in the middle, but it was still good. It is best served immediately, but wasn’t so bad the next day either 😉

Outcome & Opinion:

I picked this recipe to test out for two reasons – a) it just looked like was a dessert worthy of a birthday dinner, b) it was SO easy! Did you see how there are only FOUR ingredients! Well, I guess you need eggs or oil or whatever the brownie mix calls for – but really, could this by any easier?! It came delicious, fudgy, rich, and very s’more-like. The toasted marshmallows made it.

We would love for you to post a picture to our Facebook wall or tag us on Instagram if you make this recipe – we want to see!

BONUS – Cookbook Review:

“Kitchen Magic with Mickey” is a cook/baker/Disneyland-lover’s dream come true! It includes recipes from all of the Disney Resorts Theme Parks (North American only), Disney Hotels, Downtown Disney restaurants, Disney Vacation Club Resorts (like Aulani), and the Disney Cruise Line! The book is broken into six categories: Starters, Soups & Salads, Vegetables & Grains, Meat & Poultry, Seafood, Desserts & Sweets. There appears to be a good mix of short and simple recipes with more difficult recipes that include longer ingredient and instruction lists. Oh, and the pictures will make you drool! I love this cookbook so much, and I can’t wait to make another recipe from it. Thanks so much Vy!

We can almost taste it! Registration for Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend opens this Tuesday, March 17th at Noon EST and there are many, many reasons why Disneyland fans will want to examine this race “menu” closely. The uniqueness of this runDisney weekend makes it particularly delectable! Check your reservation book and pencil in November 6, 7 and 8, 2015; here is why:

1. Run through not one, not two, but three Disney Parks: Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You won’t get your moment running through a castle, but you will get maximum mileage immersed in the Disney magic.

2. Here’s your chance to wish upon a star and participate in runDisney’s only nighttime half marathon. The Florida sun will not attack your eyes or your skin, which means you can forego the sunglasses and lotion. Likewise, intense heat and humidity will probably not be a factor. (Yes, last year was a chilly and wet mess, but race weather is unpredictable no matter when you run.) Running at night does, however, require discipline to pace yourself during race day. Limit your theme park frolicking for another day and be sure to plan your fueling wisely; no one wants to be stumbling around a porta-potty in the pitch black!

3. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is wonderfully unique to Walt Disney World Resort and this year runs from September 25 until November 16th. With over 25 International Food & Wine Festival Marketplaces offered, you can take a culinary tour around the world and never leave Orlando. (Once again, complete food and wine indulgence is best done after your 13.1 miles.)

To supplement the party atmosphere, the Eat to the Beat concert series will add some jazz, soul, funk or rock to your weekend. Nothing is better than toasting your race success (with a cold Blood Orange Margarita in hand) while being serenaded in the outdoor American Gardens Theatre by your favorite tunes from the 1980s. Nada.

4. Need a double-dose of these yummies? Access to the world’s best runner’s night out is included in the price of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon; after the race, treat yourself to the exclusive Finish Line Party in Epcot where you’ll get your celebration kick-started with a complimentary glass of wine or beer and a $15 Disney Gift Card! The party continues until 4:00 a.m., so refer back to my advice on pacing yourself. If you are a runDisney special events party animal, you can also purchase a ticket for the Disney Wine & Dine Pre-Race Taste; a private affair on Thursday night at Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Theater that serves up entertainment, Disney Characters, four food samplings, and a complimentary “signature sip.” (Perhaps you are sensing a theme here.)

5. Christmas in November. This race is perfectly timed to take full advantage of the end of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and the introduction of many of the festive Holiday events. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party kicks-off in Magic Kingdom on November 8th (a special ticket event) and the truly sensational, one-of-a-kind The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights presented by Siemens bedazzles Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There was some concern that this display might be displaced because of anticipated construction, but runDisney has assured its fans that all half marathoners will once again run through the lights!! This alone is worth that $190 price tag!

Are you now ready to dig in? As always, if you want to avoid indigestion have your Active account and credit card at the ready on Tuesday before Noon EST. Since there will not be another fall race in Walt Disney World for 2015 (The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler has been pulled from the calendar), chances are this one will also sell out quickly. Don’t be left hungry!

When Disneylanders book lodging at or near the Disneyland Resort, they basically have two options: on-property Disney lodging that surpasses $200 per night and off-property lodging with a wide range of prices. While there are many great places to stay off-property near the Disneyland Resort, those hotel and motels can never provide Disney magic but for many families, staying on-property is just not in the budget.

As I mentioned in my first article in this series, Walt Disney World is 40 square miles. That’s pretty darn big. Although there are a variety of lodging options outside the resort, because of the distance into the resort and how far apart the parks and such are in the resort, most guests opt to stay on property. Moreover, unlike the Disneyland Resort, the Walt Disney World Resort offers three different “levels” of resorts: value, moderate and deluxe.

Tips For Choosing Where to Stay

This is perhaps the most crucial decision you will have to make (besides WHEN) to go when it comes to traveling to Walt Disney World. The first thing that should dictate where you chose to stay is budget. Know in advance how much you are willing to spend on your vacation. A large portion of your spending money will go towards your resort.

Price is HUGE – We would much rather have longer stays at Disney, in a value resort, then a shorter stay at a Deluxe resort. This is up to the family that is traveling and their travel needs. Many families opt for value resorts because they not only cater more to families but are less expensive.

Coronado Springs Resort features two queen beds instead of two full beds.

Ambiance– Walt Disney World’s hotel resorts are all about ambiance. Think about other trips you have taken in the past. What did you enjoy about your past vacations? What was the theme of past resorts you have stayed at? Disney has 23 resorts on property and I can guarantee you that at least one of them is ready to become your Disney home.

Location – Although you are staying on property, location is still very important to consider. Do you want to be close to a particular park that you know you are going to want to spend a lot of time at? Do you not mind riding a bus 20+ minutes to the parks each day or do you prefer to pay for the luxury of being a quick Monorail stop away from the Magic Kingdom?

It is important to note that all rooms, no matter where you stay, include free Magical Express transportation to and from MCO airport as well as free bus transportation to all of the parks, Downtown Disney, etc. As a life-long Disneylander, this was a big surprise to me. We will be talking more about transportation in next week’s post.

Value Resorts

Art of Animation

Value Resorts are the best bang for the buck for families. These resorts are typically very appealing to children because of their bright colors and larger-than-life theming. Rooms start under $100 per night during the value season and usually stay below $200 per night even during the peak travel seasons. At the value level rooms sleep 4 people plus an infant under the age of 3, or you can get a family suite at All Star Music and Art of Animation which will sleep 6 people and an infant under the age of 3.

Standard rooms are 260 sq. feet

Sleeps 4 or 6 (family suite) plus one infant under the age of 3 in a crib.

I love moderate resorts! Although I see the tremendous value in the value resorts, after a long stimulating day in the parks with my kids, all I want to do is rest (and get my kids to rest). For us, we felt like the over-the-top theming might not be the best fit for us when we wanted to decompress. That being said, I don’t want it to sound like these resorts are without amazing theming, because that certainly isn’t the case. Each resort transports you to a completely unique–whether its the beach at the Carribbean Beach Club or beautiful “down south” at Port Orleans Riverside.

314 sq. feet

4 or 5 plus one infant under the age of 3 in a crib.

Many of the rooms have 2 queen size beds but a few of the resorts have 2 double beds. A select few rooms at Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans Riverside sleep 5 with a pull down bed. (We have stayed in the room that sleeps 5 at Port Orleans Riverside and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT! It’s pictured below. Our travel agent told us we would love it and didn’t listen! We thought it looked ugly in the photos and we were so wrong. The photos didn’t do it justice and we only stayed there one night instead of three. Huge mistake! Always listen to your Disney-authorized travel agent!)

In addition to bus service, there is limited water launch (boat) service to select Disney areas.

Multiple pools, water slide, and playgrounds. Bicycle rentals, health club at some of the resorts.
Good match for travelers who are looking for resort amenities AND value.

Fantastic toddler pool at Port Orleans Riverside.

Coronado Springs Resort in Walt Disney World has a Mexico theme. Above is the playground and pool area. We’ve stayed there twice and really like it. Unlike the other Moderate Resorts, it features a premium, sit-down restaurant, although I’m not a huge fan of this Resort’s casual dining.

Deluxe Resorts

Deluxe Resorts are considered the “high end” hotel resorts at Walt Disney World and provide the ultimate in Disney convenience and comfort.

Yacht Club Resort room

Each resort is uniquely themed and offers you a variety of benefits, amenities and services to make your vacation extra special. These resorts are premium because they offer:

Close proximity to one or more parks. In the case of the Anima Kingdom Lodge, rooms literally
Animal Kingdom Lodge rooms with views of the animals in their habitats.

overlook the animals in their habitat. The Yacht Club and the Beach Club are a really quick walk right into the “backdoor” of Epcot, which is really convenient if you will be spending a lot of time in the World Showcase (like my family).

Rooms are larger at 344-440 sq. feet.

Sleeps 4-5 plus 1 infant under the age of 3 in a crib.

Quick service dining. Full-menu room service available. Choices between casual dining restaurants, depending on resort. Character dining on-site at some resorts.

In addition to bus services throughout Walt Disney World, there is also water launch service from some Resorts to varying destinations (i.e. the parks or other resorts). Monorail service from some Resorts to other Resorts or parks. Typically transportation to the parks from these Resorts is more frequent and faster.

Grand lobby of the Yacht Club Resort

Multiple pools, water slide, playgrounds. Bicycles and watercraft rentals (vary by Resort). Health Club available at most Deluxe Resorts.

For travelers who consider a vacation an important luxury and are looking for extra services, recreation, dining options, and unique transportation.

In addition to Deluxe Resorts there are “Deluxe Villas” that offer non Disney Vacation Club members the opportunity to book spacious, homey vacation club accommodations that include special amenities. Villas are all the same as Deluxe but the following:

Sleeps 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 or 12 plus 1 child under the age of 3 in a crib.

Size varies by accommodation.

Kitchen/kitchenettes available in rooms.

Best for those who are traveling in a larger group and are looking for flexible accommodations with kitchen facilities.

Grassy area along the beach at the Contemporary Resort, a Deluxe Resort.

This post just scratches the surface in understanding the differences in each of the Walt Disney World Resorts. We hope to go into these different types of resorts in the future. As I’ve mentioned previously, planning a Walt Disney World vacation isn’t easy. Selecting a hotel is perhaps the most important part of your vacation planning and given that there are so many options, with so many price points (and varying price points between the categories), I cannot begin to tell you how important it is to discuss all of your options with a Disney-authorized travel agent.

It’s not too late to enter the Disney Flip Side Sweepstakes! You can enter once a day through January 31st to win a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort to stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite for 1 night, and 3 more nights at a Resort Hotel, with 5-days in the parks, as well as a $500 Disney Gift Card, and round-trip airfare. One winner is chosen every day! You must be a Disney.com registered member (sign-up is free!). Click here to enter and for the Official Rules. Good luck!

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About Babes In Disneyland

Babes In Disneyland combines the best of everything the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney Company has to offer families with young children and Disney fans alike, in addition to providing reviews and information on the latest travel products, Southern California destinations and lodging options and much more for families.